Safety appliance for ignition and other circuits on motor vehicles



Feb. 24, 1925.

1,527,624 F. M. BLAKE SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR IGNITION AND OTHER CIRCUITS ON MOTOR VEHICLES Filed April 16. 1921 TTRNE'X Motor Vehicles,

Patented F 24, 1925.

j '1,527,624 PATENT ol-fFicE.

:man n. isms, or FULTON, New Yonx. sum usaran-on iron. remron mi 'oraria oiacuirs oN ricerca vnnreuis.

application mea aprii 16,

To all wlwm 'it may concern Be it known that I, FRED M. Bmxa, of b Fulton in the county of Oswego in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Appliances for Ignition and Other Circuits onv of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a safety device for stora e battery circuits as used more particular y in motor vehicles for ignition,

ghting and other uses, the object bein to guard against lires from short'circuit, t eft of the machine, and running down of the battery current from accidental leakages, and at the same time to protect the battery terminals and their circuit connections against the accumulation of or contact with foreign matter or objects, which would iu any wa tend to reduce the current voltage ofthe attery or produce short circuits in and around the battery terminals reference being had to my pending applications: Ser. Nos. 517,096, filed Nov. 22, 1921; 568,681, filed June 16,1922; 586,822, filed sept. s, 1922.

One of the specific objects is to, provide means operable at will whereby the operator may easily and quickly Ybreak or open the ground connection ofA the battery in case of lire from short circuit anywhere in the ignition, lighting or other circuit of a motor vehicle.

Another object is to provide means including a key operated or released locking member for automatically locking the movable terminal connection in its open position to prevent theft of the car. y

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts ofl the device will'be brought outfm the following description.

In the drawings:

Fi re 1 is a vertical sectional view of a sa ety appliance embodying the venous features o my invention showing. also a. portion of the storage battery an apart of the housing for the terminal connec ions.

Figure 2 is a sectional View .taken the plane of line 2-2, Figure 1 except that' the movable terminal connection and its operatin means are shown mainly in elevation angl that the battery is omitted. j

Figure 3 is a top plan of the device shown .connection of the battery .-5- of an insulating plug i921. serial no. 46ans.

in Figuresl and 2 except that the floor oard is removed.

Figure 4.- is a Avertical 'sectional view of a modified form of my device asused in connection with magneto circuit.

In Figures 1,2 and ance is adapted to be used in connection with a stora e battery -A- having suitable termina s -afor connection with c the several circuits commonly used in motor vehic1es-,the\battery being usually sup-y pgrted u on the chassis below the floor ard -which may be removable to permit access to the battery and to the terminals thereof.

The several circuits andone of the terminals of the batte are usually connected to avcommon groun or return current wire and it thereforetfollowsl that if the ground l l is broken or open, 1t will effectively out out all of the circuits, and while some of the features of m inventlon are applicable to both of the batte terminals other features are particular .applicab e to the ground connection oft eseveral circuits-wit theircorresponding terminal of the battery, and in order that m invention may be clearl understood, have shown a portion of e return conductor f1- as grounded at -bto which latter,'the 4several circuits may be grounded in any well known manner to complete the same. l

As illustrated the conductor-lis secured in one of the arms vof an L-shaped terminal connection -2- of conducting material having its base provided4 with a tapered socket -3- adapted to lit snugly zlgainstand uponthe taperedupper end of e batter terminal a for electrical-coniiection t erewith, the upright portion of the connection -2- being" provided with anl internal threaded socket -4- in which is tightly screwed the lower reduced end or bushing-6 preferably of vulcanized ber or equivalent irm and durable insulation, which together with the section 2 is movable vertically or axially to make and break the connection between the section -2- and battery terminal -a.

A suitable support or ide sleeve `7,- is provided wit a centra -vertical openin -8- in which ythe members -6- an -2- are movable, the lower endof saidv 3 the safety applisulpport -7- being provided with a radial projecting flange -9 secured by screws 10- to the under side of the top less protection to the safety appliance. 'lhe major portion of the support -7- is made of metal but the' lower end of the central opening -8- is enlarged and threaded internally for receiving a screw bushing -16- of insulating material such as, vulcanized fiber, which is screwed to the under side upwardly and -firmly to form a continuation of the guide-opening -8- and also to prevent contact between the section -2- and metal part of the support -7- so that those two parts are insulated from each other in all positions of adjustment `of the plug section and its metal section The insulating plug 6 :is preferably cylindrical and provided near its upper end with a diametrically extending slot -17- which is elongated vertically 'for receiving a diametrically extending pin -18- having its ends secured in the opposite sides ofthe support --7-, as shown in Figure 1,

to hold the plug (5- againstl turning movement relatively to the support 7 and at the same tiinepermitting vertical movement.l

o the plug.

The vbushing or plug --G-' is provided with a central lengthwise socl et19 having its lower end closed to form an abutment for one end of a coil spring --2()-, the other end ol which bears against the under side of the pin -18-, said spring serving as a retracting means for the plunger or plug 6 to yieldingly hold the section -9f in electrical contact with the battery terminal a-. p

The upper end of the plunger 6 is provided with a handle -21- by whlch it together withV the section -2- may be drawn upwardly against. the action ot' the retracting. spring -20- for disconnecting the section -2- from the battery terminal a and thereby breaking all of the circuits leading from said battery or deriving current therefrom.

Suitable means is provided for holding the plunger -6- and its terminal connection -2 in their elevated position or out of contact with the terminal -f-a-,I and for this purpose the plunger -6- is -rovided in one side with a notch -22- a apted to receive one end of the locking-bolt 2B- which is slidable radially of the plunger in a socket -2l in an extension -25- of -the sleeve .-7, said locking-bolt being automatically forced into the notch Q2-- when the latter is registered therewith' by means of a coil spring 26- i'or automatically locking the plunger -6- in its elevated position.

#The locking-bolt -23- can onl be withdrawn ,against the action of tic spring 2G- by means of a key -27- carried by the operator and adapted to be inserted in a key-hole in the top portion of the extension -25 and engaged with the outer end ol' the locking-bolt -23- so that when the key is properly registered with the lockingbolt and turned, it will withdraw the bolt from engagement with the plunger -6- and thereb allow the spring -20- to restore the e ectrical connection between the parts 2 and atit' being understood that as soon as the electrical connection is restored, the key is withdrawnv from the device and is also removed when the plunger is locked in its elevated position to break the ground connection of the battery at the terminal -a.

from a position across the key-hole in the upper side of the extension -26- and when closed, serves to protect the lockingbolt against deposits of foreign matter or Ain tain ering with the lock.

The ousing -12 is adapted to enclose the entire battery and its terminals -a, its cover plate 1lbeing removably secured to the sides by screws B0- and serves as a convenient support for the safety appliance, previously described, in addition to its function of excluding foreign matter neto terminals adapted to be engaged by contact member or electrical connection -2- on the lower end of a vertically movable plunger -'64`-, which may be raised vertically by hand or otherwise against the action of a retracting spring -25- to break the electrical connection between the part -2- and a, said spring serving to normally hold those parts in contact.

The plunger -6 is movable vertically in a central opening in an insulating bushing 16-Which is secured by screws -31- tothe upper side of the magneto housing -'A. and extends upwardly therefrom through a metal protector sleeve -7. The plunger -6 is an electrical conductor and has its upper end threaded and engaged by a nut 2V- for attaching the adjacent end of a conductor lto the plunger and constituting the ground connection of the magneto circuit.

The central portion of the plunger -6 'is provided with an annular groove or notch *22'* for receiving one end of the locking-bolt .-23- which is movable in a ra-A dial socket -24- in the sleeve -7- and is forced to its locking position by means ot a coil spring 26 when the notch or groove -22- is registered therewith, said bolt being adapted to be withdrawn from its locking position against the action of the relracting spring -26- by means of a key -27-'- the latter being removed When not in use.

That is, when the plunger S- is drawn upwardly by means or' the handle 2lto disconnect its contact member '-22- from the terminal -a-, it is locked in its open position by the bolt -Q3- and 4 effectively prevents theft ot the machine and also reduces the liability of leakage andv short circuits.

rlhe sleeve -7-is preferably removable but is normally locked in position to the insulator -IG- by means ot' a locking bolt -32- adapted to enter a notch --33- in one side of the upwardly projecting portion of said insulator but may be Withdrawn from its locking position against the action of a retracting spring *36tby means of? a key -35--, theilatter being removed when not in use.

lt .will be seen from the foregoing olescription that in oase' of fire or extensive heat in any part of the electric circuit arising from short circuits or other causes attributable thereto, the operator may easily and quickly raise the plunger 6- and' thereby disconnect the part -2- from the terminals ctor the part -2'- from the terminals --a, and that the plunger will automatically be locked in its elevated position by the locking bolt -23- or QW- which, aside from the lire protective advantages, previously mentioned, also serve to reduce the liability oit" theft et the nia-- chine, leakage of 'the battery through short circuit in any part of the Wearing system and also greatly reduces the liability ol." short circuit in Vand around the terminals of the battery, all of which add greatly to the working etliciency of the battery and its various circuits or translating devicesv therein.

l/Vhat l claim is:

1. In a safety appliance; for motor vehicles, a storage battery for supplying current to a plurality of external translating device and a cover t'or the battery enclosing the terminals thereof, a grounded conductor having` a contact member Wholly Within the cover, and movable into and out of electrical contact with one of the battery terminals for making and breaking the battery circuits, and an operating member for said movable contact member extending through an opening in the cover to the exterior thereof and insulated from said contact member, and means for locking the switch member in its open position. f

2. ln a safety appliance for motor vehicles, an electric current generator for vsupplying current to external translating devices, cooperative contact members, one of which is electrically connected at all times with one pole ot the generator, the other member being electrically connected at all times with the corresponding side of the external circuit and movable into and out of contact with'the first named member for making and breaking the generator circuits,

a housing inclosing said contact members and preventing access thereto When the cover is closed, an operating member for the movable contact member extending through an opening in the cover to the exterior ther-coi andpinsulated from said movable contact member, and means for lool(- ing said operating member and movable switch member in their open positions.

ln Witness whereof l my hand this 12th day of April 1921.

FRED M. BLAKE. Witnesses:

H. EQCHASE, M. R. Geom.

have hereunto set 

